Slumbered Sleep

A memory is formed over the course of
three stages. When you give new information
to your brain, it is called acquisition in
the initial stage. Consolidation, the next
phase, is when memory is strengthened.
Recall is the last phase, and during this
phase we access the data we have previously
saved. While we are awake, consolidation
takes place, while we are asleep,
acquisition and recall do. Our brain organizes
and consolidates our memories as
we sleep, which aids in our ability to recall
the day’s lessons. (Dotto, 1996)
Sleep is directly linked to emotional and
mental well-being and has been linked to
disorders including bipolar disorder, anxiety,
and depression among others. Poor
sleep is often a symptom of mental health
issues. In addition, a lack of quality sleep,
particularly insomnia, can contribute
to the onset and aggravation of mental
health issues. (Maquet, 2000)
The brain’s ability to interpret emotional
information is facilitated by getting enough
sleep, particularly REM sleep. The brain
works to analyze and retain thoughts and
memories when we sleep, and it appears
that lack of sleep is detrimental to emotionally
positive information. This is linked
to mental health illnesses and their severity,
including the likelihood of suicidal
thoughts or actions, and can affect mood
and emotional reactivity. The number of
persons with depression, a type of mood
disorder characterized by feelings of sadness
or hopelessness, is believed to be
over 300 million worldwide7. Around 75%
of those who are depressed experience
insomnia, and many depressed persons
also experience excessive daytime
sleepiness, hypersomnia, or oversleeping.
(Maquet, 2000)
Figure 35
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